Centrifuge devices are used for separating sample constituents according to density. These devices accomplish this by generating a very high "gravity" using centrifugal force. Typical centrifuge devices include rotors which are spun at high rotational speeds upwards of 15,000 rpm by a motor. Fixed angle rotors usually have a plurality of downwardly and outwardly angled apertures or wells which each receive a single tube containing a sample to be separated. The dense material in the sample settles out toward one the side of the tube, near the bottom, forming what is known as a "pellet".
Many current laboratory procedures involve repetitive centrifugation. To improve processing speed, linear arrays of molded plastic, rigidly interconnected centrifuge tubes, commonly referred to as centrifuge tube strips, have been developed. The axes of the tubes in these tube strips are parallel. Such centrifuge tube strips are convenient to handle, and by providing a constant predetermined centerline spacing, work well with automatic tube filling and sampling equipment such as multi-channel pipettes. Flexible centrifuge tube strips have also been developed. These tube strips employ a series of tubes which are interconnected near their mouths by flexible tethers that are molded with the tubes.
Unfortunately, these centrifuge tube strips can not be used in most conventional centrifuge rotors. Therefore, a need exits for a centrifuge rotor which can use both rigid and flexible centrifuge strips.